The Originals

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Orchid Gray

Orchid watched Saira examine Professor Green's update logs. "And you're sure that they were on Madeleine's desk?" Orchid nodded and Saira groaned. "God, that means she really is involved if she stole these papers. Finnegan won't be happy."

"Why won't I be happy?" Stoll asked, discreetly closing the door behind him. They were all in Robert's dorm and it reeked of blood and other disgusting smells. Headmaster Roux clearly hadn't thought of locking up the dorm, so it was easy for them to break in.

"You're fashionably late like always," Saira remarked, wrinkling her nose.

"It's my mojo." He looked at the two girls and Orchid winced, breaking under his gaze. "So you were talking to me. What? Is it about Sam again? Look, I already talked to him last night. Sure, he denied everything and we got into a fight, but this isn't any of your business to discuss—"

"Sam didn't do it," Orchid interrupted. "I found out that Professor Green had another suspect in mind."

"Who?"

"Your private tutor, Madeleine Xing," Saira answered and Stoll choked, coughing. She rolled her eyes, heading to the dorm's bathroom. "You guys can talk this out, I'm going to inspect the bloodbath in the literal bathroom. Yay, how joyful." Her tone dripped of sarcasm as she closed the door, leaving Orchid and Stoll alone to talk.

"Madeleine couldn't have stolen the academy's funds," Stoll told Orchid.

She huffed, fuming. She didn't trust Madeleine, they didn't know her alibi for the Monday evening that Professor Green was murdered. For the Scarlett's and Robert's deaths. She thrust the update logs in his face. "Read these."

He quickly skimmed through the papers, horrified. "Just because Professor Green had his suspicions about the Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club does not mean Madeleine is involved!"

"Lower your voice, please," Orchid begged and he did so. "But she's apart of the club, Stoll."

Stoll clenched his teeth. "Exactly, Green never put her name in writing."

"He put M. X. which stands for Madeleine Xing! She's leading the club for crying out loud," she persisted, exhausted. Sometimes, it was such a fight to explain to Stoll Finnegan. "Why wouldn't she steal the money?"

"Why would she have the need for money, Gray?" To that, Orchid did not know. "Madeleine did not steal the money and then murder Henry Green, Scarlett Mako, and Robert Reuters!"

Saira came back out of the bathroom, hands on her hips. "Okay, guys, cut it out. Do I—literally me—have to be the mature adult here?" She looked at Stoll then said strictly, "Finnegan, you're obviously upset, why?"

Stoll groaned, dropping to the floor to sit, but then realized it was still stained with blood. "I'm upset because Gray is accusing someone I trust of money laundering and triple homicide. First my brother and now Madeleine? You're grasping at straws, Gray."

Maybe I am grasping at straws, Orchid had to admit her evidence wasn't going to win anything in a court case. A real journalist would find all kinds of proof for a case, not just speculation. "I guess you're right, Stoll."

"Good," Saira nodded sternly, turning to Orchid. "Now, why are you upset?"

"I don't know," she replied hopelessly. "I mean, I started this to figure out who Professor Green's killer was, but then Scarlett and Rob died. Everything went to hell and nothing is going to be the same anymore—the cops and media will eventually show up, I might have to give up the Shades of Gray project, and I can't be the @shades_of_gray anymore—"